BEAM BEARING PLATE

Objectives:
1. Discuss the principles and importance of beam bearing plate.
2. Calculate the size of a beam bearing plate.

Beam bearing plates are used to distribute the pressure over a large area of concrete (wall or
beam). It must be (a) large enough to ensure that the actual bearing pressure fp under the plate does
not exceed the allowable bearing stress Fp. (b) long enough so that web crippling or web yielding does
not occur, and (c) thick enough so that the actual bending stress at the critical section is lesser than the
allowable bending stress.

Allowable bearing pressure:

Fp = 0.35F’c
Required Area of beam bearing plate:

A = Reaction
Fp
 Actual area of the beam bearing plate:

A=NxB

Actual bearing pressure under the plate:

fp = Reaction
Area

Required thickness of the beam bearing plate:

Where:
N – bearing length
B – width of the beam bearing plate
F’c – specified compressive strength of supporting concrete
Fb – allowable bending stress ( Fb = 0.75Fy )
K1 – distance of the toe of fillet from center of web

Problem Set:

1. Determine the size of the bearing plate required for an end reaction of 50KN dead load and 200KN
live load on a W14x53 of A36steel. The beam rests on a 100mm thick wall. Use F’c = 20.7MPa.
(k = 25mm, k1 = 12.9mm)
2. A W24x94 beam on a 4.5m span underpin a column that brings 300KN dead load and 800KN live
load to its top flange at a location 1.5m from the left support. The column bearing plate is 12in
measured along the beam, and the bearing plates at the ends supports are 200mm thick concrete
beam. If F’c = 276.MPa, determine the size of the beam bearing plate. (k = 30mm, k1 = 14.35mm)
3. A W21x93 beam must transmit a reaction of 1000KN to the bearing plate over a concrete wall. If
F’c = 20.7MPa, Fy = 248MPa, (a) Determine the minimum value of N; (b) Determine the required
value of B and t of the beam bearing plate. (k = 29mm, k1 = 12.75mm)
4. For the beam(W12x50) shown, it is supported by a 175mm thick concrete wall at B if F’c =
27.6MPa, P = 300KN, w = 50KN/m, L1 = 2m, L2 = 1m. Using A36 steel, determine the size of beam
bearing plate at B. (k = 24mm, k1 = 12.4mm)

5. For the beam(W12x50) shown, it is supported by a 175mm thick concrete wall at B if P = 100KN,
w = 10KN/m, L1 = 4m, L2 = 3m, F’c = 17MPa, Using A36 steel, (a) determine the size of beam bearing
plate at B. (b) determine the size of beam bearing plate at B if it settle by 10mm. Use (k = 24mm,
k1 = 12.4mm).